


Burn Away

by princessxdizzy (Altun_Heiral)



Series: Patchwork Hearts [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Also 5.0 spoilers ahoy, F/F, I return with angst, Shadowbringers kicked my ass man, i actually have written a lot of stuff for xiv but usually keep it to myself, i wrote this though and i thought why not post it and hate myself at the same time aye, it's been 84 years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:01:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25388710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altun_Heiral/pseuds/princessxdizzy
Summary: Altun and Reina make the final journey through the Tempest together while Altun struggles with the fear of losing Reina forever.
Relationships: Warrior of Light/Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Series: Patchwork Hearts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1838713
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	Burn Away

**Author's Note:**

> Instead of them both being consumed by the light, I chose to give that to Reina only. Altun is my WoL and Reina is my partner's WoL. It's kinda written ambiguously since it was something I wrote for her in the long run, but both our WoL's are Auri. Reina is Raen and Altun is Xaela. I also found a reason finally to use the Dark Knight and Red Mage wedding vows from FFXI. While we both main Dark Knight, I used to be a Red Mage main, so I always write Altun as a Red Mage. 
> 
> I think that's it ? It's been a long time since I wrote anything or posted anything. So hopefully someone will enjoy this.

The Tempest truly was a stunning place, once one got used to the fact that the waters had all but parted and they were treading the sand at the bottom of the ocean. Altun was situated further behind Reina for once, her rapier strapped to a belt she was wearing around her waist. She was trying desperately to keep her mind off the matter at hand. That matter being the light consuming Reina. The two of them had tackled their own mortality many a time before this moment. Hell, Altun had been tackling her mortality since that rival clan tried to kill her when she was young. Yet, this was something so different. Thinking about light eating, burning away at the thing she loved more than anything else. She couldn’t bear the thought.

Her gaze found Reina’s back, clad in her characteristic dark armour, her sword slung around on her back, as she spoke to the Scions. Now was not the time to be weak she kept telling herself, as though trying to justify accepting she could lose Reina forever at the end of this road. Quickly she averted her gaze and instead looked at the rest of the way forward, apparently over a bridge made of brilliant colours. Truly it was beautiful here. She could hear walking as the Scions left off ahead of Reina. The time for putting on a brave face again was here. Altun inhaled deep, trying to force anxiety and sorrow out of her mind. If this was to be her last journey with Reina, she wanted to savour the time she had left with her.

Reina was walking towards her now, a small smile on her face. For all of the times that Altun was absolute garbage at expressing herself, saying what she was feeling when flustered, this was the one moment where she wanted to be honest about the feelings in her heart. Yet again though, she was reminded now was not the time to be weak. She couldn’t understand how Reina could be so calm, though perhaps she wasn’t truly calm with the situation, but chose to be for the sake of Altun. Without speaking a word, Altun took Reina’s hand in her own, tightening her grip slightly. She still couldn’t find the words she wanted, to say them without tears in her eyes. Instead she simply took Reina’s hand and they slowly made their way over the coral bridge in silence.

Once across the bridge they found themselves walking down the sandy slopes of the ocean floor, further approaching their destination. It seemed as though with each step that they took, Altun tightened her grip on Reina’s hand. It was as though if she let go, that Reina would burn away right there. The Scions were up farther ahead of herself and Reina. Perhaps to give them space to be together, to process the events unfolding before them both. The more Altun’s mind wandered to the situation before them, the more she cursed that she couldn’t just pluck the light from Reina herself. Or perhaps heal her with her own magics. If she thought that her spells would heal Reina, spare her this fate, gods she would have tried that long before this point. To be selfless and absorb all the light to the point of being consumed, and to walk forward with a smile. Truly, Reina was the stronger of the two of them.

They were approaching another coral bridge when Altun suddenly stopped and turned to face Reina. With her free hand she reached out to take Reina’s other hand in hers. Face downcast, she tried to find the words she wanted. She opened her mouth briefly, only to close it again when the words didn’t come out. Dammit. Why did she have to be so bad at saying literally _anything_. She felt a small encouraging squeeze to her hand from Reina. She let out a choked laugh. Leave it to her to somehow give silent encouragement in the middle of a literal crisis, while Altun herself was also trying to hold herself together. Another small squeeze to her hand. Altun could feel the tears prickling at the corners of her eyes now, threatening to spill forth. She inhaled slightly, and found her voice.

“I will not let you burn away. I can’t -” Altun tried to hold herself together but tears were spilling out now, hot tears running down her face. She hiccuped slightly. Gods above, she really needed to improve on this note. Here she was, looking like some fool on the bottom of the ocean floor, which in retrospect was fool sounding enough. Altun felt Reina reluctantly remove one of her hands from her grip, only to feel the same hand at her chin, tilting her face up so they were looking at each other. Reina had a somewhat sad smile on her face. Seeing the look on her face only made Altun want to cry more. It was as though she knew, she knew exactly what Altun was feeling. “I refuse to lose you.” Altun managed to choke out, midst all the tears spilling forth from her eyes. “I will literally fight every god in existence, but I swear I will not lose you. Dammit, I _will not_.” She squeezed her eyes shut again. She lost everything so many times. Her family. Her clan. Everything. Why was the world trying to take Reina now too?

Altun felt a forehead against her own as Reina’s hand found her’s again. She opened her eyes slightly and the lilac of her own eyes met the red of Reina’s. A small wave of calm washed over her body. She took a deep breath, and exhaled, never breaking her eye contact with Reina. “It’s alright, you know. To be scared.” Reina’s voice was quiet, and shook slightly as she spoke. Altun closed her eyes again, the unique lighting of the ocean above them and the light that shone down to them, illuminating the tears on the ends of Altun’s eyelashes and the freckles that created constellations across her cheeks. “Just know though, I’m not going anywhere. We’re going to be alright.” Altun gave a slight nod of her head, which Reina accepted and removed her forehead from Altun’s. “There’s no need to pretend you’re not scared, but I’m right here. Shall we move forward?” Another nod from Altun.

They had to be approaching their destination soon, Altun felt as though they had been walking for hours. Though whether this was the case or not, she was unsure as she felt as though time moved slower. Her and Reina had been walking in silence since Altun had her breakdown over the thought of losing Reina at the end of all of this. Although since her breakdown, Reina had kept a firm grip on her hand. They were coming through a tunnel towards and opening and what appeared to be a ledge. The Scions had stopped ahead of them. As Altun and Reina cleared the tunnel and came to the edge of the ledge there saw before them a sprawling city. Altun’s mouth fell open slightly, as she gazed out in front of them.

“Creators above.” she managed to whisper. “It’s a whole damned city. I can’t believe this.” Reina seemed to be just as shocked, she was just blinking repeatedly, her eyes tracing the windows of every building they could see. Altun tugged slightly on Reina’s hand pulling her back to her senses. The Scions had walked out over to the building that had a lift that led down to the city below. Altun was still somewhat in shock as they stepped into the lift and descended down into the city below. When they stepped off she suddenly realized how much bigger everything around them was.

There were figures walking around. It was like a preserved memory, it was like they were trapped here. For the first time since they had started their walk down to this very place, Altun let go of Reina’s hand and walked forward. She was curious about everything here. What a beautiful memory. Yet, a sad memory. She knew Reina and the Scions would have things to attend to, some of which she knew she would most likely be of no help with. Reina was reluctant to let Altun out of her sight, especially to explore this place when they knew nothing of it. Though she had received reassurance that she need not worry and so Altun went on her way.

Altun glanced over her shoulder to see Reina speaking with the Scions. Truthfully, she was using the exploration of this place so that she could walk around to collect her thoughts. She walked along the paths, running her fingers along the concrete. It felt so real under the tips of her fingers. Everything was so real for an eternal memory. Altun found a lamppost that she could lean up against at the center of the city. She looked up to the surface of the water. They were so far down and yet it felt like the surface was so close, as though she could simply drift up to it. The reality of the situation was setting in more so than it had been previously.

Altun knew they were running out of time now. There was no turning back, no turning to run away. They had to stick with the choices they made now. She closed her eyes. Had she said everything she wanted to? Told Reina everything on her mind? Everything in her heart? Even if the answer was yes, and she had told Reina everything she needed to, or wanted to, this was no simple situation. The closer they got to the end of the road, the more Altun swore she could feel that light burning away at Reina’s heart. She wanted to try hopelessly again, to just use whatever magic she could to fix things, somehow make it right. Reina told her there was no shame in being afraid, and really there wasn’t. However, afraid was probably never a good word to describe what she was feeling in her heart.

She let out a soft sigh. In the distance she could hear the clamoring of Reina’s armour as she walked about the city they had found themselves in. She supposed it took a lot of bravery to face down your own mortality. Altun wondered if Reina was scared at all of the situation, or if she really was her fearless self, ready to stare down anything. She thought back to when she met Reina again, that smile she had on her face. The teasing nature and the jokes she told that always made Altun laugh. Oh, how they made her laugh. Sometimes she would laugh until she hurt.

So much time had passed since then, and yet it felt as though it was yesterday. She still remembered what she was wearing, and where they were. Even back then her hair was as it was now, long and tied up in a simple black ribbon. She was so carefree then. Somehow the opposite of how she was now in this moment. Of all challenges she had faced, everything she had done, this was the single hardest thing she had done. Altun would almost rather face down the people who killed her parents again before this. She didn’t feel strong enough for this. Knowing at the end of the day, she was walking hand in hand with Reina to what very well may be her demise, and Altun’s as well in the end.

This light could not be avoided so easily, and burned hotter than it sun it seemed. You can’t heal it with magic and you couldn’t stamp it out with just darkness. It was all consuming, burning ones soul and heart. Altun kept trying to find ways in her head, any solution she could think of. Everything was a dead end. She promised herself when they left the Crystarium that she would find some way to save Reina, as did the Scions. Yet the further they went, the less answers she had, and the more she struggled for a solution. Was there truly nothing that could be done? She had lost everything so many times, and she already gone over this in her mind. Reina was everything to her. What would she be to do if she was gone forever at the end of this. The thought of the light consuming Reina till she was nothing, or Creators forbid, she become a sin eater, would that mean she would have to kill her?

Altun wasn’t sure she was capable of that in any fashion, putting a sword to someone she loved. Magic to burn her skin if she became exactly what they had spent all this time fighting and destroying. In the end, she supposed she would rather die than fight Reina. She had been away from Reina for too long now, her mind was wandering and finding the worst solution, the worst outcome to the situation. Altun wanted to cry again. She was unsure if she was just scared at this point, or hopeless and lost, forced to accept that Reina would not come out on the other end of this. That there was, indeed, no solution to cleansing the light from her.

She heard the clamor of armour in the distance again, closer this time to her though. She glanced around to see Reina walking up the slope to where she was, her face fierce and determined. Altun tried to give her a smile, but she could feel her lips quiver and any strength she had fade from her body. Reina stopped just short of her, leaning her forehead against Altun’s again gently. This was either their last moment together, or a moments reprise before someway, some gods damned how, Altun found a way to save Reina from her fate.

“It’s almost time to go.” Reina said. Her voice was firm but soft. Altun swallowed the lump forming her throat now. She wasn’t ready. Though she wondered if Reina was truly ready either. Altun nodded to response, letting Reina know she had heard her speak. She wanted to stay like this for as long as they were able, just in case this was their last moment together. If this was the end, her end, their end, she wanted to savour what was left of their time together.

“I swear I will tear the skies asunder and I will find some way to save you.” Altun found her voice deep inside her, voicing what instead wasn’t in her mind, but a conviction of her heart. She could see Reina smile slightly at her. A silent acknowledgment of either what would turn out to be a hopeless promise both knew could not be fulfilled. Or perhaps a greater promise, that somehow, someway, on the other side of some pair of doors, Altun actually _would_ tear the heavens asunder and pluck the very solution right out of the air for them. Neither were sure really of what lay ahead. Reina pulled back, hesitating slightly, almost as though she had something else she wanted to voice to Altun. Instead she opted to reach for Altun’s hand again.

“I know you will.” Reina said finally. She didn’t doubt that Altun would find some way to help her, to save her from burning away. Altun was resourceful, full of wit and knowledge about things Reina truthfully had no clue about. Even when Altun couldn’t find solutions, she pretended like she had, simply to not worry others. Whether this was a situation that could be a changed, a tragic outcome that could be avoided, they would find out soon. At the very least, they would find out together. If this was the end, their end, they were with each other. That had to be _enough_. Altun was staring at Reina, and now she was the one who seemed as though she had some last words and thoughts on her mind, yet she held them back. This wasn’t the time. Altun would save Reina. Then they could say everything to each other when this was over. When they went home. Together.

_Should my heart fall to darkness,_ _  
_ _and my bones reduce to dust,_ _  
_ _I shall rise once again for you;_ _  
_ _my love for you is just._

 _Even with my magic spent,_ _  
_ _and my faithful sword broken,_  
_My spirits of love are summoned true;_ _  
_ _these words, they must be spoken._


End file.
